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Woman claims Alamo worker accused her of ID theft because she looks different after hair loss

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Updated: 1:44 PM CST Dec 2, 2016

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WEBVTT
RENT A
CAR.
SHE SAID SHE HANDED OVER HER
LICENSE AND CREDIT CARD AND WAS
HUMILIATED.
>> IT COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED A
DIFFERENT WAY.
NATALIE: BATTLING BREAST CANCER
SINCE MARCH HAS TAKEN AN
EMOTIONAL TOLL ON THE :00 HERE
IN ESPECIALLY AFTER ROUNDS OF
RADIATION CAUSED HER TO LOSE HER
HAIR.
>> A KIND OF MAKES ME FEEL A
LITTLE BIT HAVING LOW
SELF-ESTEEM.
NATALIE: PUTTING ON A WAITING
HAS BECOME A NORMAL ROUTINE
UNTIL TODAY.
>> I TOOK THE KURDS TO STEP OUT
AND NOT WHERE THE WAKE TODAY AND
I REALLY GOT MY FEELINGS HURT.
NATALIE: SHE CAME HERE TO THE
CAR RENTAL TERMINAL AT
SACRAMENTO'S AIRPORT WITH HER
DRIVER'S LICENSE AND BUSINESS
CREDIT CARD.
>> HE HELD UP MY ID AND
SAID WHO
IS THIS?
AND I SAID THAT'S ME.
HE SAID, NO, THAT'S NOT YOU GET
AND I WAS, LIKE, YES, THAT'S ME.
I HAVE CANCER.
AND HE WAS, LIKE, NOTE, THAT'S
NOT YOU.
AND I TOOK OFF MY HAT.
I SAID, SEE, I HAVE CANCER.
NATALIE: LEAH SAYS SHE CALLED
OVER A MANAGER WHO ALSO DID NOT
BELIEVE HER.
SO SHE GOT HER DAUGHTER BRITTANY
JOHNSON ON THE PHONE.
>> FOR ME TO HEAR MY MOM CRY, IT
JUST MADE ME JUST FEEL REALLY
HEARD.
NATALIE: BRITNEY'S HUSBAND, SAN
DIEGO CHARGERS PLAYER STEVIE
JOHNSON, EVEN TOOK TO TWITTER TO
EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT WITH
ALAMO.
>> HAPPENS AFTER THIS IS WHAT
HAPPENS MOST.
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING?
SO WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
NATALIE: WE CALLED ALAMO AND A
SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE COMPANY SAID
THEY ARE LOOKING INTO THE
SITUATION AND TAKING IT VERY
FIERCELY.
AS FOR LEAH, SHE WAS ABLE TO
RENT A CAR WITH A -- WITH THE
HELP OF A SECOND ALAMO MANAGER.
BUT SHE DROVE AWAY FEELING
STRIPPED OF HER DIGNITY.

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California cancer survivor: I was humiliated while renting car

Woman claims Alamo worker accused her of ID theft because she looks different after hair loss

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Updated: 1:44 PM CST Dec 2, 2016

Battling breast cancer since March has taken an emotional toll on Leah Cook, especially after rounds of radiation caused her to lose her hair.
"It makes me feel a little bit low self-esteem," Cook said.
Putting on a wig has become a normal routine, until Thursday.
"Today, I took the courage to step out and not wear a wig,” Cook said. “And, I really got my feelings hurt.”
She came to the car rental terminal at Sacramento International Airport with her driver's license, business credit card and Alamo rental car reservation in hand. Cook then handed it all over to the service member.
"He held up my ID and said, 'Who is this? Who is this?' And I said, 'That's me.' And he said, 'No, it's not.' And I said 'Yes, it is. I have cancer.' And he's like, 'No, that's not you.' And I took off my hat and I said, 'See, I have cancer.'
Cook said he then called over a manager -- who also didn't believe her. She then got her daughter Britney Johnson on the phone, who was headed down to San Diego.
"I tried to stay strong about it and fight the tears back, but I couldn't," Cook said.
"For me, to hear my mom cry, it just made me feel really hurt," Johnson said.
Johnson’s husband, San Diego Chargers football player Stevie Johnson, expressed his disappointment with Alamo on Twitter, posting, “So @Alamo customer service reps berate cancer survivors who lost hair due to chemo? Way to go @Alamo. #stayclassy”
"What happens after this is what matters most, so we'll see what happens," Stevie Johnson later said in an interview with KCRA.
An Alamo spokesperson responded to the situation, saying the company is looking into the situation and taking it very seriously.
Alamo’s parent company, Enterprise, also responded to Stevie Johnson’s tweet, saying, “Thanks, Stevie. We are looking into this as I write.”
As for Cook, she was able to rent a car with the help of a second Alamo manager at the airport, but drove away feeling stripped of her dignity.
"It's just like punch in the stomach," Cook said. "I wanted my voice to be heard because, I mean, this may happen to someone else."
Cook also posted her story on Facebook, saying in part:
“I've never been more humiliated in my life! In the moment, I felt like he stripped me of everything I've gone thru to beat cancer and made me feel so small.”
Her post gained more than 150 comments within eight hours, with many people expressing their anger and applauding her strength.
“Broke my heart. YOU ARE A WARRIOR,” one person wrote.
“Honestly I can tell its u.... The eyes the nose the smile,” another person commented. ”Sorry u went thru that and congrats for being strong.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Battling breast cancer since March has taken an emotional toll on Leah Cook, especially after rounds of radiation caused her to lose her hair.

"It makes me feel a little bit low self-esteem," Cook said.

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Putting on a wig has become a normal routine, until Thursday.

"Today, I took the courage to step out and not wear a wig,” Cook said. “And, I really got my feelings hurt.”

She came to the car rental terminal at Sacramento International Airport with her driver's license, business credit card and Alamo rental car reservation in hand. Cook then handed it all over to the service member.

"He held up my ID and said, 'Who is this? Who is this?' And I said, 'That's me.' And he said, 'No, it's not.' And I said 'Yes, it is. I have cancer.' And he's like, 'No, that's not you.' And I took off my hat and I said, 'See, I have cancer.'

Cook said he then called over a manager -- who also didn't believe her. She then got her daughter Britney Johnson on the phone, who was headed down to San Diego.

"I tried to stay strong about it and fight the tears back, but I couldn't," Cook said.